Test tube holder



June 18, 1968 R. w. EMMlTT 3,388807 TEST TUBE HOLDER Filed sept. 14, 1966 INVENTOR. /Po/VALD 14./ ,EMM/77 United States Patent O 3,338,807 TEST TUBE HOLDER Ronald W. Emmitt, 28367 Ridgebrook, Farmington, Mich. 48024 Filed Sept. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 579,369 7 Claims. (Cl. 211-74) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A holder for test tubes and the like comprising a base having a support column at each corner thereof, and a plurality of test tube supporting members regularly arrayed in parallel rows. The array is in the form of outer rows between the columns with inner rows extending between opposite outer rows.

The present invention relates in general to a holder for tubular containers, and more particularly the present invention relates to a holder for test tubes and the like providing means for holding a plurality of test tubes and the like in an upright manner.

Briefly stated, the present invention contemplates a holder for test tubes and the like comprising a base having a support column at each corner thereof, and a plurality of test tube supporting members regularly arrayed between the columns so as to form lateral rows and so as to form further rows extending between opposite lateral rows. The columns are preferably hollow such as to be used also as support members for test tubes and the like, and the bottom walls of the columns are preferably provided with a drain hole permitting drainage of overflow of liquid from a supported test tube or, alternately, facilitating washing of the holder by providing drainage for the cleansing fluid.

The principal object of the invention is, consequently, to provide a holder for test tubes and the like, which is of simple construction, which uses easily obtainable materials such as plastics and the like, which consists of a plurality of similar elements which may be assembled together such as by cementing or which may be molded in block.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a holder for test tubes and the like affording substantial support for a plurality of cylindrical containers such as test tubes and the like in a stable and upright position so as to prevent spilling of the contents of the containers, which is easily cleaned, and which may be manufactured at low cost.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent when the following description of an example thereof is considered in conjunction with the' accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts in the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a holder, according to the present invention, for cylindrical containers,'such as test tubes and the like;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view thereof;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view thereof;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional View thereof taken substantially along line 6 6 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view thereof, taken substantially along line 77 of FIG. 2.

IReferring now to the drawings, a holder for a plurality of cylindrical objects, preferably containers such as test tubes and the like, all having substantially the same outer diameter, according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention, comprises a quadrilateral 3,388,807 Patented June I8, i968 lCC base 10, preferably shaped as a rectangle with rounded corners, such as shown at 12, and supporting at each corner thereof an upright support column each such upright column being designated respectively 14, 16, 18 and 20. The base 10 and the columns 1420 are preferably made of a material such as a plastic, in which case the base 10 is made of a plastic sheet and the columns 14-20 are made preferably of a plastic tubing providing in the hollow interior thereof a cavity 22 of a diameter such as to accept a cylindrical object such as a test tube, as shown in phantom line in FIG. 1 at 24. Each one of the columns 14-20 is preferably fastened at its lower end to the base by means such as solvent cementing or heat cementing, and the base 10 is preferably provided with apertures, as shown at 26, each registering with the interior of each column so as to provide for a drainage hole for any liquid that might overflow or spill from a test tube, or for facilitating washing and drying of the interior of each hollow column when the holder is washed.

A plurality of substantially short ring members 2S, having an inner cylindrical surface 30 of a diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the columns 14- 20 and adapted to accept a cylindrical container such as test tube 24, shown in phantom line in FIG. l, are regularly arrayed between the columns so as to form outer rows, indicated generally at 32, parallel to the edges of the base 10, other ring members 28 being disposed from one ring of one outer row to the corresponding ring of the opposite outer row so as to form a plurality of inner rows, designated generally at 34, extending between outer rows 32. The ring members proximate the columns 14- 20 are attached thereto by solvent cementing, heat cementing, or the like of their outer surface to the outer surface of the column at the tangential line of contact between the surfaces. In a similar manner, the rings 2S are attached to each other at their tangential line of contact, and it is evident that the distances between consecutive columns must be such as to be divisible by the outside diameter of the rings disposed therebetween. The upper ends of the rings are, as shown in the drawings, preferably in the plane of the upper ends of the columns 14-20, and the lower ends of the rings are preferably at a predetermined constant distance from the top surface of the base 10. The holder according to the invention may be made by disposing the columns 14-20 and the rings 28 in an assembly fixture, the rings being made of short lengths of plastic, or the like, tubular members similar to the tubular members forming the columns, the base being then placed on the ends of the columns and the Whole assembly cemented together. As an alternate method of manufacturing, the holder may be cast either in whole as an integral unit or in portions which are subsequently assembled such as by cementing.

It is evident that the example of the invention hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings represents only a possible embodiment according to the principles thereof. For example the holder may be such that, instead of forming a supporting structure for twenty test tubes or the like as illustrated, it may form a supporting structure for a smaller or larger number of test tubes or the like, and that the base 10 may be in any other form than a rectangle. Also the holder may be made such that the test tube support rings 28 are actually of a length longer than shown in the drawings, or even of a length equal to the length of the columns 14-20 so that the holder assembly substantially resembles a bundle of hollow tubular members cemented to each other and disposed upon a base.

Having thus described the invention, modifications whereof will become apparent to those skilled in the art, what is sought to be protected by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A holder for a plurality of cylindrical objects of substantially equal outsiderdiameters comprising a base, a support column at each corner of said base and a plurality of cylindrical object supporting ring members, said ring members being disposed conjointly to each other to form outer and inner rows of said ring members, said outer rows being disposed parallel to the periphery of said base and being attached at their ends to said columns, the ends of said inner rows being attached to the ring members in opposite ones of said outer rows.

2. The holder of claim 1 wherein each of said ring members is of substantially short overall length and has a bottom end situatedfa predetermined distance from said base and a top end substantially in a plane including the plane of the top ends of said columns.

3. The holder of claim 1 made of a plastic material.

4. The holder of claim 3 molded as an integral unit.

5. The holder of claim 3 wherein said columns and said ring members are tangentially attached to each other, and each said column is cemented at its bottom end to said base. y

6. The holder of claim 1 wherein said columns are hollow and are each adapted to hold one of said cylindrical objects inserted in said column.

7. The holder of claim nwherein the portion of said base closing the bottom end of each said column is provided with a drainage aperture.

Y References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/ 1948 Shank. 1,643,735 9/ 1927 Baker. 1,739,895 12/1929 Gamble 211-74 1,980,930 11/1934 Reyniers 211-74 2,409,484 10/ 1946 Gauthier 211-72 3,175,695 3/1965 Goodman 211-74 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,323,069 2/ 1963 France.

6,875 of 1885 Great Britain. 1,012,259 12/ 1965 Great Britain.

ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

ABRAHAM FRANKEL, Assistant Examiner. 

